The upmarket grocer said sales of sourdough rose by 49 per cent, with sourdough crumpets also proving popular, up 15 per cent.

It added that stone fruit had a particularly strong week with sales up 40 per cent, and blueberry sales increased by 10 per cent.

Meanwhile, cold medicine sales rose by 17 per cent last week as the weather turned more wintry.

Over at department store chain John Lewis, total sales for the week were up 1.3 per cent year-on-year, boosted by a 7.6 per cent surge in overall fashion sales, boosted by the colder weather.

The retailer said womenswear and menswear sales were up 15.4 per cent and 9.6 per cent respectively.

Parents shopping with children during half-term also helped increase sales and total sales of childrenswear, nursery and haberdashery were up 3.1 per cent.

Overall home sales were up 0.8 per cent, furniture and flooring sales up three per cent, and John Lewis said there were strong sales of beds as customers turned their attention to making their homes ready for winter.

Cookshop sales rose by nine per cent on the back of some price matching on popular brands, but electrical and home technology sales were down 3.8 per cent despite strong demand for a number of new products including the Dyson Airwrap which launched online and in store last week.